Compiled by
TOM KELLY
Defy the elements
The fragile infrastructure of touch-screen phones, crossed with our irritating propensity to drop them, has spawned an enormous accessories industry, with a quick search for “phone covers” on Amazon throwing up almost 1.5 million results. That’s a lot of protection on offer. And Motorola’s Defy+ is taking up the challenge head-on. It’s a fully specced touch-screen that’s dustproof, waterproof to a metre and has Gorilla Glass, which is famously scratch- resistant.
The Defy+ runs Android, with a 1GHz processor, and has the full repertoire of mobile connectivity and functionality that assures. It’s Google maxed, with search, Gmail, maps and all the rest on app. Android means Flash runs, of course, so no iPhone video blackspots, and it’s got everything you’d want to pack into a smart phone. But it’s a lot tougher. Motorola call it lifeproof and it’s hard to argue. The only people who mightn’t want to see more of the same are all those cover-makers. But then they have the rest of us softies to look after.
Motorola Defy + See motorola.comfor details. Cost depends on network and plan; from about €280 sim-free
Snow growth
Now this will make you look tough. Or perhaps ornery might be a better description. Beardski isn’t some new, cool style of facial hair – it’s this season’s must-have ski accessory – if you’re a rebel on the piste. The ludicrous thing about Beardski masks is that they apparently actually do work, with a cosy neoprene lining and a wrap-round design that keeps your ears warm and allows one size fit all.
Moreover, your new-found full-on beard shields your neck from the wind (it’s actually a thermal fleece, but say nothing) as well as giving you a totally serious, on-slope attitude. Choose the Beardski to reveal your inner hard man (or surprisingly hirsute lady), with different designs such as Biker, Pirate or Viking.
Of course, those granite credentials might be diminished somehow if you chose it simply because it’s washable. It is.
Beardski £40, from amazon.co.uk
These memories won’t wipe out so easily
Here’s another toughie, from Samsung this time. With memory getting cheaper and cheaper, it’s starting to become more relevant to the general punter how stable and reliable their SD cards are, so you don’t get home from your holiday only to find that all those amazing family snaps haven’t stored, leaving your SD card useful only as a plectrum.
So here’s a 16GB card that’s shockproof, waterproof, X-ray proof and magnetproof. And it looks great too, with a brushed aluminium appearance. It’s also fast, with Class 10 speed, and can take 24 hours in seawater.
It can be run over by a truck. In fact, to continue the unlikely comparisons, the card’s reinforced innards means it can take the average weight of an adult – if you care about such a thing. (There’s quite an amusing demo on YouTube. Just key in “stress test Samsung SD cards”.) It all adds up to the photos making it home, even if everything else comes a cropper.
Samsung 16 GB SDHC Flash Memory Card €36, from memorycards.ie